Tigard Man Rescued From Mount Jefferson

Oregon Guard helicopter crews recovered the man from difficult terrain.

File Photo by: Tim King

(Mount Jefferson) - Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller says deputies received a call Friday at 5:30 PM from the wife of an injured climber on Mount Jefferson.

A Tigard woman reported her husband, 59-year-old Derald Detrich, had called her from the south ridge of Mount Jefferson at about 8200 feet in elevation.

Detrich advised he had broken his leg in a fall and his climbing partner 60-year-old Peter Beach, also of Tigard, was walking out for help.

The victim’s location was plotted by GPS after triangulating his position from a 911 call he made to Linn County Dispatch.

Rescue operations were launched from the Pamela lake trailhead.

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by 10 Linn County SAR Post members, Linn County Deputies, Linn County Posse, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, the Camp Sherman Hasty Team members, and the Oregon National Guard.

Rescuers reached the victim at 5:42 AM Saturday after climbing several hours in the dark.

The victim’s injuries were accessed and he was stabilized to await extraction.

Air life responded to the injured climber’s location at 9:39 AM but was unable to pick him up because of the difficult terrain.

The Oregon National Guard responded from Salem a short time later and successfully air lifted then transported Mr. Detrich to Salem Hospital.

As of 5:00 PM Saturday, rescue personnel were still in the process of returning to the trail head Mueller said.